6 gadgets that clean the world’s oceans

By Cat DiStasio

In grade school, most children learn about the fragility of our ocean ecosystems. Despite this, the world’s vast waters have become a de facto dumping ground for toxic chemicals, agricultural runoff and plastic trash. With ocean pollution at an all-time high, the question of how to turn it around weighs heavily on the minds of many environmentalists and engineers. So far they’ve come up with everything from oil-cleaning magic wands to massive floating cleanup arrays, but it’s a race to see which method will most effectively reverse the damage humans have wrought. Which of these amazing gadgets do you think has the best shot at cleaning up our oceans?

Review: Data Boy is a proficient, all-in-one USB tool

There are sure some awesome tech gadgets out here on the Internet. Be it some super crazy invention, or a device that does some magic, you can never NOT be surprised by what comes out. When I saw the DECEC Data Boy, it quickly fell into the “must check out” category. There is really no specific function or title for Data Boy, as it is several things at once. Think of it as the tech version of the Swiss Army knife.

Taking the basic shape of a memory stick, it offers different tiers of storage integrated into a tool that can be used as USB OTG, a charger between two devices, a data ‘cable’ and a memory stick.

It may advertise all the bells and whistles, but how does it stand up and, most importantly, is it worth your money?

Design

Because nothing like it has ever been made before, Data Boy shows off a unique design. Comprising mostly of (strong) plastics, the tool doesn’t exactly shout out poor quality, but rather, feels sturdy. The rubber arms aren’t very agile however, and appear to want to pop out their sockets. Fortunately, they can actually move quite a bit and are well anchored. This main piece also houses the USB which you plug into computers.

On the arms, you’ll find two male connections on each tip. Depending on your configuration, you could have either MicroUSB/MicroUSB or MicroUSB/Lightning.

The top has a neat Zinc-alloy ring which allows you to conveniently attach it to a keyring. There’s also a smile-shaped line that lights up when the product is successfully connected to something.

It’s small, neat and easy to use – just like it should be. Slightly bigger than a memory stick, which means you can take it anywhere.

 Everyday Usage

This is where Data Boy has the opportunity to shine the most. Due to the nature of the product, you could use it all day for various things. DECEC wants it to replace your memory stick, USB OTG dongle and even your data cable in some situations.

Using a specially made processing chip, dubbed “Intelligent Chip”, it automatically detects what you want to use it for. Say you’re using it as a USB OTG dongle, but you then want to charge your Bluetooth earphones. Once you plug them in on the receiving side, the OTG function is switched off and the charging commences.

Let’s break it all down and see how it performs.

Memory Stick

As you can imagine, a memory stick is a memory stick. There’s quite simply not much to say here. I would however like to mention a thing or two. Firstly, you won’t experience the usual gripe of inserting it correctly into the USB port, as the design means the smiley face is always facing upwards. Secondly, the transfer speed is probably not as fast as you’ll like it to be. Slightly slower than USB 2.0, it takes noticeably more time to transfer even just a few photos. This is likely due to the fact that it’s not exactly your standard data transfer and may have to go through the Intelligent Chip. Not a big deal, but could be better.

USB OTG Dongle

What I’d say is the main function of Data Boy, the USB OTG feature works how you’d expect it to, granted that your phone supports it. Again it suffers from sluggish transfer rates, although it is stable and works without a hitch. To access it, you simply just open the File Manager and use “USB Storage”. It shares the same storage module that your computer writes to, meaning that you can basically plug your memory stick into your phone and access the same documents. Which is, kind of how you’ll expect it to work.

The transfer rate is definitely fast enough to watch movies and video. I do think this is due to the fact that it is only reading from the storage and not writing to it, which takes longer.

You cannot, however, transfer files larger than 4GB. This is a restriction placed on the FAT32 format, which is basically a way of storing data on hard drives. Your Android also uses this and it would unfair to criticize DECEC for using this as Android is designed for FAT32. This may also explain the slower data transfer rates as this format is known for being slow.

Of the two, only one connection supports USB OTG.

Data Cable

When plugged into a PC port, Data Boy is a memory stick. Upon connecting your phone to the opposite end, it acts like a data cable, giving you the ability to transfer files from the phone storage to the PC via MTP, and vice versa. Likewise, it will also charge your phone at the same time. It worked superbly, and gave me faster transfer speeds as compared to when accessing the internal Data Boy storage.

You can, if you’re desperate, connect your Data Boy to your wall charger and charge up to two devices through it at the same time. It charged my G4 at the same speed as the standard data cable. It is however awkward to use as it is very short and not very flexible, as I pointed out earlier.

Transfer battery power

This is the one feature which is likely the most handy, although only if properly utilized. Connecting two devices on each arm of the Data Boy will initiate a power transfer. The phone on the OTG side will charge the device on the opposing side. Do not expect to swap charge between two phones, though. There simply isn’t enough power available to do so. It may take very long to charge even a little, even if a phone detects incoming power. You can only really charge items with small batteries, like a Bluetooth headset. You could also plug a power bank in the other side, which would effectively make it a data cable again.

 Is it worth it?

If it will help you on a daily basis, then it certainly is. There is no competition on the market as there is nothing else like it. For $25, you can get the 16GB MicroUSB/MicroUSB version, and for $30, you can get the 16GB MicroUSB/Lightning version. It is a quality product that should last through many occasions.

Conclusion

DECEC’s Data Boy is an awesome, feature-filled USB utility. Extremely portable, it can be used virtually anywhere and can reduce the number of items you carry around to just one. The reliability, quality and usefulness of it makes up for the slow data transfers and limitations. It shall not disappoint you.

Currently, DECEC has a flexible goal offer on Indiegogo. If you’re interested in getting one, supporting a perk will guarantee you your chosen version of Data Boy, whether the target is reached or not. You can get yours on their page here.

The post Review: Data Boy is a proficient, all-in-one USB tool appeared first on AndroidGuys.

Earin’s wireless earbuds are ambitious but flawed

For the past year and a half, Swedish startup Earin has been trying to turn a Ryan Gosling–inspired earbud concept into a proper working product. The hook: Unlike other Bluetooth headsets, these $299 earbuds are completely wireless: They sync with each other and a phone, and… that’s it. The concept is one of those things I didn’t even know I needed, but after spending a week with the Earin buds, I’m almost ready to pick up my pitchfork and wish death upon the headphone cable. Emphasis on “almost.”

The experience starts with a stainless-steel tube and a carrying case/battery into which you stick the buds. Its 600mAh cell should charge each of the buds’ 60mAh batteries about three times, and that’s pretty much exactly what I saw during my testing. It would have been nice, though, if the single LED indicator on the tube offered up a little more information; the light turns red when charging the buds and just shuts off when done, which left me wondering whether charging was complete or if the case itself ran out of juice. Fits of paranoia aside, the case is attractive and works as advertised. Once you pop the buds out of the case, just pair with your Bluetooth device of choice. There’s an Earin companion app too, though all it’s really good for is checking each bud’s individual charge.

But enough of that: Let’s get to how the headphones sound. In a word, adequate. The mechanics of squeezing batteries and radios into these tiny buds means designers had no shortage of constraints, and we’re ultimately left with audio that neither stuns nor disappoints. Mids come through crisply and even the highs occasionally get a chance to shine, though your choice of music might not play to the Earin’s strengths.

Case in point: While the lows usually feel tight and sufficient, bassy tracks come off more subdued than I’d like. To be clear, I’m not one of those people who digs bass lines that thump skulls; my tastes are more modest. Even so, the aural foundation that bass lines build never feels fully formed here, leaving hip-hop and certain kinds of electronic music sounding wimpier than normal. Now, remember that Earin app I mentioned earlier? You can toggle a Bass Boost feature from in there to try and liven up the lower end, but it’s generally not worth it. Sure, you’ll get some meatier bass, but you’re otherwise left with music that doesn’t sound the way it’s supposed to. Really, it’s your music’s sense of space — the soundstage, as it were — that gets the short end of the stick. Just about all of the tracks I sampled sounded at least a little constrained, with cast recordings for Spring Awakening and Hamilton feeling particularly cramped.

These sound issues aren’t unique to the Earin, but they’re tough to swallow considering the other constraints we’re working with. For one, you’re only going to get two and a half to three hours of audio out of the buds before they require a trip back to the charging case. So much for using these things on long flights. Neither bud has a microphone, either, so you’ll have to pop them out of your ears and answer the phone the old-fashioned way.

I also ran into a handful of connectivity issues where the audio would drop for a moment when my phone was too far away. In most cases, “too far away” meant my phone was in my front right pocket; since the left earbud is the one that actually forges and maintain a Bluetooth connection with the audio source, I had to be more thoughtful about where I put that source. These moments were rare and mostly fleeting, but obnoxious nonetheless. And then there’s how the buds are built.

Chalk it up to either ear shape or clumsy fingers, but you will eventually drop one of them. Unlike some other fully wireless earbuds, the Earins are totally cylindrical, so they’ll start rolling away the moment they hit the ground. The bud design jibes nicely with the cylindrical case, but it would’ve been nice if they didn’t flee after a fall.

Thankfully, the Earin comes with three sets of memory foam buds that did a fine job of keeping them in place. The Engadget Fitness Challenge has given me a reason to strap on my running shoes again, and I’m happy to report that these buds passed the exercise test without too much trouble. Your mileage will vary depending on how fast you go and how your ears are shaped, but the earbuds never fell completely out of my ears during a jog. If you’re anything like me, you’ll feel the buds start to shift. A quick poke got them back where they belonged before I had to pause my run and search for a stray bud.

So, yes, the Earin is an ambitious but flawed product. There are moments, though — prolonged ones, even — when the entire package works like a charm. It’s magical. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sighed out of sheer relief because I didn’t have a headphone cord to get tangled up in my scarf or my bag strap. Or when I suddenly got up from my desk and realized I was still listening to my audiobook without seeing my phone skitter along the ground. Still, the connectivity issues, combined with fairly average sound, do a lot to detract from the undeniable coolness of a completely wire-free pair of earbuds. If you’re into the idea of rocking some truly wireless earbuds, you might have better luck with the $299 Bragi Dash. Otherwise, the Earin could be a solid deal after a price cut and some updates.

Watch the Engadget staff on: Getting ready for Super Bowl 50

Super Bowl 50 weekend is here, and who is better equipped to talk you through preparation than a squad full of Engadget editors? As the Big Game approaches, some of our staff sat down in the studio to explain what they do (or don’t) know about football and make some gameday suggestions. Every topic is on the table, from player safety to calorie counting to Grindr. Here’s what they had to say.